Heating apparatus



Nov. 11, 1952 G. M. SCHUEDER ETAL HEATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 18, 1946 flrra/m EKs.

11, 1952 G. M. SCHUEDER ETALV 17,390

HEATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 geallge 325/252-5221 M, 2955;, g)

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1952 I G. M. SCHUEDER ETAL 2,617,390

. HEATING APPARATUS Filed 001:. 18, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 11, 1952 G. M. SCHUEDER ETAL 2,617,390

HEATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E- a My M Patented Nov. ll, 195 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATING APPARATUS George M. Schueder, Dearborn, and Raymond M. Krokus and Michael Nichols, Jr., Detroit, Mich., assignors to Evans Products Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,104

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to domestic hot water heaters of the individually fired type, and more particularly to upright, storage type, thermostatically controlled types of such heaters employing the conventional pot or vaporizing type oil burners.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide an improved hot water heater of the above generally indicated type, which is simple and durable in construction, economical of manufacture and assembly, and which is efficient and reliable in operation; to provide, in such a heater, improved means for supporting the upright water tank above the burner; to provide such a heater having an improved twopiece outer decorative jacket which serves as the burner and tank support, as a tank insulator, and as a housing and shield for the burner; to provide such a heater embodying an improved supporting connection between the jacket and burner, which permits the burner to be factory assembled and readily installed in or removed from the shell and which also assumes a part of the load represented by the tank; to provide such structures wherein over-all heat losses are minimized and pilot fire stability is improved by arranging the shell so as to relatively complete insulation for the tank while leaving the burner protected but relatively uninsulated; and to provide such structures wherein the burner support is so constructed as to give columnar support to the burner, and, at the same time to provide for adjustment of the burner support without causing interference with the floor or other supporting surface for the heater.

A preferred but illustrative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings throughout the several views of which like reference characters designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a heating apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in transverse vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in transverse 2 vertical section taken substantially along the line 7-1 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the structure illustrated in Figure 7.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention, that in its broader aspects, the improvements thereof may be embodied in heating apparatus of widely differing types and sizes, and particularly designed for -widely diifering particular applications. In an illustrative but not in a limiting sense, except in so far as is defined in the claims. the present improvements are herein disclosed as being embodied in a domestic hot water heater of the individually fired, upright storage type.

Referring to the drawings, and to Figures 1 and 3 thereof in particular, the heating apparatus it) comprises generally a base plate I2 supported on legs l4 (constituted by studs which are adjustably threaded into the base) and having an annular upwardly presenting flange l6 telescopically receiving a cylindrical lower wrapper or shell section l8 which carries adjacent its upper end an annular transversely extending bulkhead 20. A usual cylindrical storage tank 22 is supported on the upper surface of the bulkhead 20 and is secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 24 anchored to the tank 22 by straps 23 and having a threaded engagement with an associated fitting 28 mounted on the bulkhead 20. The tank 22 is enclosed by a cylindrical upper shell section 30 which telescopically engages the lower shell [8 and is closed at its upper end by a top 32 which carries, in spaced relation to the upwardly dished upper end 34, of the tank 22, an upwardly dished heat insulator and reflector disk 35 which may be formed of any suitable material such as asbestos or the like. The entire, full height enclosure for the heater is thus constituted by the two telescopically related shell sections, the base I 2, and the cover 32.

A cylindrical stack or flue 38 is disposed axially of the tank 22 and extends outwardly of the tank 22 at both ends thereof. The flue 38 is brazed or otherwise secured to the ends of the tank to form a watertight seal therewith. The upper end of the stack 38 extends upwardly from the top 32 and carries a T section 40, one end of which carries a draft regulator mechanism, hereinafter described, and the other end of which is adapted for connection to a chimney or the like. Intermediate its ends, and in alignment with the stack 38, the Tsection 40 carries a lighting door 42 pivotally mounted thereon, through 3 which, as will be understood, a lighted taper may be dropped into the hereinafter described burner 44 for lighting purposes, and which also serves as a fire-inspection opening.

The just-mentioned burner 44 is illustrated as a conventional pot type or vaporizing oil burner, having an outwardly turned flange 46 at its upper edge, is provided with a top bafile ring 48 bolted or otherwise secured thereto. Ring 48 has an upwardly turned annular flange which defines a central aperture therein and is adapted to be received within the lower end of the stack 38. Outwardly of the annular flange 50, the top baffie ring 48 carries an annular sealing ring 52.formed of asbestos or other suitable material adapted to sealingly engage the lower edge of the stack 38. The oil burner 44 is supported on a plate 54 adjustably mounted on the base I2 by the post 56, thereby permitting the burner 44 to be adjusted upwardly until the ring 52 is in sealing engagement with the lower end of the stack 38.

Fuel oil is supplied to the burner 44 from a suitable fuel tank (not shown) through a conventional thermostatically controlled float valve mechanism generally designated 60 and having a conventional temperature responsive feeler bulb 62 connected therewith and mounted on the tank 22. A fuel supply line 64 connects the float valve 64] with the burner 44. The valve 60 and the line leading to bulb 62 are shielded by an arcuate shield 6|, carried by the bulkhead 20 Considering certain of the above generally described elements in greater detail, the adjacent ends of the telescopically connected lower and upper shell sections I8 and 30 (which may be formed of relatively light gauge sheet metal) are provided with inwardly pressed annular grooves 86 and 68 respectively. At its outer periphery, bulkhead 2U terminates in an upwardly turned flange which fits within the upper end of the lower shell I8 and, in addition to resting against, and being positioned by, the upper edge of the inwardly pressed portion 66, is preferably spot welded to the shell I8. The upper shell 30 preferably has a slip fit with the lower shel I8 and is supported on the latter by the engagement of the inwardly pressed portion 68 with the upper end of the shell I8. The grooves 66 and 68 are, thus, both decorative and functional.

Radially inwardly of the flange "I0, the supporting bulkhead has a relatively narrow outer annular portion I2 supporting the tank 22 and carrying the bolt receiving fittings 28, and a relatively wide inner annular portion 14 offset downwardly from the outer portion 12, thereby providing a heat insulating dead air space 16 between the bulkhead 20 and the bottom of the water tank 22. It will be noted that the tank engages the annular portion 12 along a line which is relatively near the rim 10, thereby enabling the bulkhead 20 to readily withstand the cantilever loading represented by the relatively heavy tank. Further, the bulkhead 20 radially reinforces the shell sections I8 and and prevents deformation thereof.

Water to be heated issupplied to the tank 22 through a laterally extending connection I8, illustrated in Figure 4, disposed adjacent the bottom of the tank, and hot water is drawn from the top of the tank through a conventional connection 80 illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

Referring to Figures 3 and 6, the base plate I2 is formed to define a sharply upwardly dished central portion 84 and a more gradually upwardly dished annular portion 86 outwardly thereof having a plurality of reinforcing ribs 88 formed therein. Centrally of the sharply dished portion 84, the base plate I2 carries a tubular fitting 90 slidably receiving the threaded post 56. It will be appreciated that this columnar construction of the base plate, in addition to increasing its structural strength, also provides a clearance permitting vertical movement of the post 56 without causing interference between the post 56 and the supporting floor.

The just-mentioned vertical movement of the post 56 is accomplished by a knob 92 threaded on the post 56 and supported on the upper surface of the upwardly dished base plate I2. The outer periphery of the knob 92 is scalloped, as best seen in Figure 4 at 94, to facilitate turning thereof and for cooperation with one end of a wire loop 96 the other end of which is anchored to the fuel oil supply line 64, to prevent inadvertent counter-clockwise rotation of the knob as seen in Figure 4, and consequent lowering of the post 56.

Referring to Figures 3 and 5, the plate or spider 54 through which the post 56 supports the burner pct 44, is secured to the latter through a relatively small reinforcing disk 93 to which it is spot Welded and which is in turn welded to the upper end of the post 56. Adjacent its outer periphery the spider 54 has a downwardly turned flange which cooperates with the downwardly dished central portion to form a downwardly presenting annular channel I00 which contributes to the structural strength of the plate. The spider 54 is provided with three upwardly pressed supporting bosses I02 equally spaced circumferentially thereof and adapted to engage the base of the burner pot 44 adjacent its outer periphery. This disposition of the supporting bosses I02 eliminates the necessity of a heavy base on the burner pot 44 and avoids dimpling or deformation thereof. Also it provides a minimum of contact with the burner and thereby minimizes the heat losses through the burner supporting structure.

It will be understood that the float valve 60 is removably connected, as by bolts III], to the lower shell section I8, in accurately gauged relation to the groove 66 therein and consequently in accurately gauged relation to the lower end of the flue 38. Consequently, when the post 56 is adjusted to bring the burner 44 into tight sealing relation to the lower end of the flue 38, the latter serves to properly and accurately loeatethc burner with respect to the float valve 60. It is to be noted also that the post 56, in addition to properly supporting the burner 44, also enables a part of the load represented by the relatively heavy tank 22 and its contents, to be transmitted through the burner 44 and the post 56, to the above described columnar type base I2. The tank load is thus shared between the bulkhead 20 and the base I2.

Considering now the features of the present construction which minimize heat losses and which at the same time promote stability at pilot fire settings, it will be noticed thatthe bulkhead 20, the upper shell section 30, and the cover 32, form an enclosure for the tank 22 which is separated therefrom by a dead air space having annular and upper and lower portions. If desired, this dead air space may be partially or entirely filled with insulating material. The present structure thus affords very good heat insulation for the tank 22 and its contents.

On the other hand, in the present structure, the only enclosure for the burner 44 is constituted by the lower shell section I8, the removable cover or door I06 whereof is provided with louvers I08, through which air, for combustion purposes, may be admitted to the interior of the shell, for introduction to the burner, through the usual primary and secondary air openings such as 44a. Under all conditions of operation, there is thus a circulation of air in the region surrounding the burner 44, which air enters through the louvers I08, passes through the burner body and is discharged through the flue 38. Though protected against undesirable air currents by the shell section I8 accordingly, the burner 44 occupies a relatively uninsulated position.

It will be appreciated that thermostatically controlled hot water heaters are of the on and ofl type, that is to say, they are either caused, by the thermostat, to operate at high fire, or to operate at a pilot setting. The character of the fuel employed limits the lowness of the pilot fire setting, since the valve 60 must be left open, under all pilot conditions, suificiently far to make sure that the valve does not clog by waxing or the like. With prior constructions it has been conventional to utilize a pilot fire setting which, while being as low as is consistent with stability, is nevertheless so high as to cause a tendency to overheat a well insulated water tank. Consequently, the practice has been to leave the water tank in a relatively uninsulated condition, thus introducing undesirable heat losses. With the present construction, on the other hand, in which the burner is relatively uninsulated, it is found that suflicient of the heat developed by a stable pilot flame can be dissipated from the shell section l8, and thus diverted from the tank 22 and its contents, so as to permit the use of a well insulated tank without producing undesirable overheating thereof during stand-by or pilot periods.

On the other hand, little heat is lost through the shell l8 under high fire settings. It would appear that this is partly because, at the high fire settings, the rate of air flow through the louvers H38, and into the burner is sufficiently high to carry into the flue 38, by convection, the air which is heated by radiation from the burner 44. Also under high fire settings, the base of the burner is considerably further from the flame, and thus does not attain such a high temperature as at pilot settings.

With respect to manufacture and assembly, and servicing of the above described heater, the preferred practice is to assemble the base l2, the lower shell section l8, and the bulkhead 20 as a unit. Thereafter, the tank 22 may be secured to the bulkhead 2D. The upper shell section 30 may thereafter be fitted down over the tank and telescoped, with a slip fit, over the lower shell section. The cover 32 may, of course, be applied before or after the shell section 30 is moved into place. Final assembly operations include the mounting of the float valve 60 and the installation of the burner. The previously mentioned opening in the lower shell, which is adapted to be closed by the closure I06, is large enough to permit the burner to be bodily introduced therethrough. When placing the burner, the post 58 is, of course, turned to a relatively low position and is thereafter turned in a raising direction far enough to provide the previously described sealing engagement between the burner ring and the lower end of the flue. It will be appreciated, of course, that the just-mentioned arrangement also permits the burner to be very readily removed from the heater for purposes of inspection and repair, without in any way interfering with the telescoped shell or without mounting of the tank therein.

Referring to Figures '7 and 8, the above-mentioned draft regulator mechanism comprises a generally conventional damper plate H2 having a usual off center pivotal mounting and a conventional counterbalance weight H4 adjustable transversely of the damper plate H2 to vary the opening thereof. A pair of opposed stops H6 are provided for limiting the movement of the damper plate H2 when it reaches the closed position. This draft regulator mechanism is preferably adjusted to the optimum position by the service man at the time of installation of the heating apparatus, through the use of a suitable draft gauge, and no further adjustment is required in normal operation.

While only one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hot water heater, a housing, a tank positioned in said housing and spaced therefrom throughout a substantial portion thereof to provide an insulating space, a bulkhead carried by said housing and having a flue receiving aperture therethrough, and providing a substantially imperforate wall except for said flue aperture, said tank being supported by said bulkhead and having a limited area of its base portion in contact with said bulkhead, the remainder of said tank base portion being spaced from said bulkhead to provide an insulating space, a flue extending through and substantially closing said flue aperture and being in heat exchange relation with said tank, and a burner in said housing and on the opposite side of said bulkhead from said tank and arranged to discharge all of the products of combustion therefrom directly into. said flue.

2. In a hot Water heater, a housing, a tank positioned in said housing and spaced therefrom throughout a substantial portion thereof to provide an insulating space, a bulkhead carried by said housing and having a flue receiving aperture therethrough, said bulkhead comprising two concentric substantially annular portions spaced with respect to each other and joined together at their adjacent portions to provide a substantially imperforate wall except for said flue aperture, said tank being supported by said bulkhead and having a limited area of its base portion in con tact with one of said annular portions and being spaced from the other of said annular portions to provide an insulating space, a flue extending through and substantially closing said flue aperture and being in heat exchange relation with said tank and a burner in said housing and on the opposite side of said bulkhead from said tank and arranged to discharge all of the products of combustion therefrom directly into said flue.

3. In an upright storage tank type hot water heater, an upper cylindrical outer shell for housing a hot water storage tank, a lower cylindrical she l of substantially the same diameter as the upper shell for housing a fuel burner unit, said lower shell having an inwardly directed rolled rib formed therein beneath its top end, said upper shell having an inwardly directed rolled rib or bead formed therein and spaced above its bottom end, said upper shell receiving the lower she l and the top end ofv saidlower shell abutting against the upper shell rib whereby the upper shell is supported on the lower shell, a transverse plate for carrying a water tank within said shells engaging the rib on the lower shell and supported thereby, said plate having an annular flange fitting the inside surface of the lower shell betweensaid ribs, and a Water tank separate from the shell and plate and seating on the plate with its bottom in contact therewith so that the weight of the tank is transferred by the plate to the rib.

4. A domestic. hot water heater comprising an upright tank having, an upright. flue extending therethrough, a burner beneath thetank and communicating with the flue, a tubular shell enclosing the tank and burner, said shell including a pair of shell sections separa'bly connected together in end to end relation, one shell section being sufficiently long to at least substantially enclose the tank and being spaced therefrom to define an annular heat insulating space therebetween, the other shell section serving to enclose the burner and having a lower end, wall, tank supporting means carried by said' other shell section and serving to support. the tank within said shell, said tank supporting means comprising a bulkhead having its major portion spaced from said tank and closing off the shell space occupied by the burner from the shell space occupied by the tank and providing an insulating space therebetween for the retarding of heat flow from said burner to said tank through the air in the shell space surrounding said burner, and means supported by. the other shell section end wall for removably and adjustably supporting said burner in sealed relation to the flue so that all products of combustion of the burner are caused. to pass directly to the flue.

5. In a storage tank hot water heater the combination of a shell providing a housing, a hot water storage tank within the shell in the upper portion thereof, a fuel burning device Withinthe.

shell beneath the tank and at the lower portion of the shell, a conduit sealed to said burner device and delivering heated gases therefrom: to

the tank, a transverse partition. mounted. on said,

shell between the space occupied by the tank and the space occupied by the burner and separating the two spaces so as to prevent flow of. heated gases between them, said tank resting upon and being supported by said partition, the major portion of said partition being spacedbee low the bottom of the tank and forming therewith a dead air space to insulatethe space above the partition from the space below the partition.

6. In an upright storage tank type hot water heater, the combination of an. outer shell defining a housing, transverse. inwardly extending shoulders provided on said shell intermediatethe ends thereof, a transverse plate supported on said shoulders, a water storage tank supported on said plate to transfer its weight through said shoulders to theshell, a portion ofsaid plate being spaced from the. bottom of thetank toform. an insulative space beneath. the tank, heating means beneath said insulative space, conduit means for heated gases in sealed engagement with the heating means, said plate having an aperture through which said conduit means passes tocarry heated gases into heat transfer relationship with the water storage tank.

7. In a storage tank type hot water heater, the combination of means. providing a housing having an upper storage tank chamber and a lower burner chamber, an annular hot water storage tank in said upper chamber having a central heat exchange conduit integral with and extending below the tank chamber into the burner chamber, means supporting the tank in said upper chamber on the housing at an intermediate height, said housing having a bottom, a natural draft pilot fired oil burner in said lower chamber mounted on said housing bottom having a sealed engagement with the bottom of said conduit, and vertically acting force multiplying adjustment means acting as a column between said housing bottom and said burner to permit burner removal and to normally press the burner tight in sealed engagement against the bottom of said conduit, said tank, conduit, burner, and force multiplying means being constructed and arranged so that at least a part of the weight of said tank is transmitted through the adjustment means to said bottom.

8. In an upright tank type water heater, the combination of an outer shell having a bottom portion, a water tank structure inside the shell and a separate entity therefrom, a transverse member carried and supported by the shell above said bottom portion and having an opening therein, said tank structure having an outer peripheral portion of its bottom resting on said member, means connecting the tank structure to the transverse member to restrict relative movement of the tank structure and member, a vertically adjustable heater assembly mounted in said bottom portion and located in said shell beneath the member, said tank structure and heater assembly being connected together through said opening so that the heater assembly engages a bottom portion of the tank structure and said lower portion of the shell, said heater assembly being constructed and arranged to act as a column to transmit at least part of the weight of the tank structure to said shell bottom portion, said member and said heater assembly providing means to carry the weight of the tank structure.

9. The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein said shell has an inwardly extending rib on which said member is supported, said member, shell, and heater assembly constituting the principal supports for carrying the weight of the tank structure.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said transverse member is spaced from the inner bottom portion of the shell to provide a dead air insulative space between the bottom of the tank structure and the top of the heater assembly, said heater assembly being in operative communication with said tank structure through said opening.

GEORGE M. SCHUEDER.

RAYMOND M. KROKUS.

MICHAEL NICHOLS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 942,831 Humphrey Dec. 7, 1909 1,258,394 Chadwick Mar. 5, 1918 1,692,839 Humphrey Nov. 27, 1928 1,790,454 Arrowsmith Jan. 27, 1931 (Other references on following page) Number Miller et a1 Nov. 25, 1941 Number Numbei Name Date Davis et a1. Dec. 7, 1943 Perry Aug. 8, 1944 Home Dec. 12, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Australia Feb. 11, 1929 Switzerland Aug. 31, 1935 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1930 Great Britain May 6, 1940 

